Trashed Up Barbecue Turkey Pizza

Not only is this my fourth NaBloPoMo (or as I like to call it, NaBloBlahBlah) post, but it’s also Day 3 of #TurkeyWeek! I’m going to be bringing you my favourite turkey or turkey leftovers recipes all this week in the lead-up to my favourite holiday of the year: Thanksgiving! That’s not all, though, we are packing in the fun today; this is also my addition to the virtual baby shower for my sweet gal Jessica of How Sweet Eats. Jessica has a sweet little bun in the oven and has 6 weeks to go, so her blogging buddies (self included) are celebrating Jessica with a bunch of goodies we think she’d like very much and we’re trashing them up, Jessica style!!! Extra exclamation points all around!!!

I first met Jessica in Oregon at a Harry & David event and loved her immediately. She was spunky, gorgeous, and the only one brave enough to dive in and try a bleu cheese chocolate truffle with me. What can I say, we bonded over stinky cheese. On the flight home, Jess was seated about five rows ahead of me and on the opposite side of the aisle. I people watched as folks boarded the plane -like you do- and noticed one particularly unkempt passenger who looked like they hadn’t seen the inside of a shower in the last month or two walking down the aisle, looking at the numbers above the seats. PLUNK! He dropped into the seat right. by. Jessica. and it was a very full plane. Throughout the looooooooooooooong flight, I watched as her row buddy fell fast asleep and flopped his upper half into the aisle where the flight attendant gently pushed him back upright so she could pass through with the cart. That guy stayed out COLD even when pushed into an upright seated position. He teetered a little then PLOP… his head dropped right. onto. Jessica’s. shoulder.

Oh, gosh. I was feelin’ it for Jess at that point. There was no waking that dude until the plane came to a landing. Had that been me, I might’ve freaked out and pushed the flight attendant’s call button until someone came and removed that smelly stranger from my shoulder. But Jessica? She sat there stoic and strong and not at all freaky-outy. That’s just the sort of forbearance, patience, and straight-up kindness that will make her such a wonderful mother.

In honour of her (as she says) knocked-up state and impending birth, I’d love to offer a Trashed Up Barbecue Turkey Pizza that seems right up Jessica’s culinary alley. Pile all the goodies on! This is a fantastic use for leftover turkey and changes things up from the normal, boring casserole routine. Just like I can’t wait for Thanksgiving leftovers, I can’t wait to see Jessica’s photos from when she first gets to hold her little bundle of joy. Congratulations, Jessica, Eddie, and Little How Sweet!

Cook’s Notes

I made this with chopped leftover turkey because, hello!, #TURKEYWEEK, but you can also make it using leftover roast, grilled, broiled, deep-fried, or rotisseried turkey or chicken. Use whichever fully-cooked poultry you have on hand! It’s easy like that!

As cheeses go, I like a combo… mozzarella for stretch and that classic pizza cheese texture, pepper jack for stretch and some flavour punch, and a little Cheddar for its tangy, sharp qualities.

You can stop there if you like, with the pizza just as it is when it comes from the oven -barbecue sauced turkey with scandalous amounts of melted cheese and it’ll be plenty delicious and good- or you can go all in and ‘trash it up’ by piling on all sorts of fun things like sliced black olives, pickled onions, fresh cilantro leaves, and slices or cubes of ripe avocado. One way or the other, you’ll be eating large!

Preheat oven as high as it will go, preferably to 550°F. Remove plastic wrap from the pans with the pizza dough in them. The dough should now have spread itself (or nearly spread itself) to the edges of the pan. Simply lift the edges of dough to pull toward the sides of the pan if necessary. This will help loosen any trapped air under the dough as well. If there are any large air bubbles, nudge them down with the back of a knuckle.

In a mixing bowl, toss together the cubed or shredded turkey and barbecue sauce. Spread half of the mixture on each pizza right to the edges of the dough. Divide the cheese and top each pizza evenly to the edge.

Put into the hot oven and bake for 12-20 minutes (depending on how well done you want your pizzas.) You can check the underside of the pizza crust for doneness by lifting the edge gently with a flexible spatula (like a fish turner). A finished pizza will have a crisp, deep-brown bottom and a bubbly, golden- to deep-golden brown top. I pull my pizzas when the edges have some deeply caramelized (read: lightly charred) edges and some dark brown bubbles on top.

Use your flexible spatula to slide under the pizza and edge it out onto a cutting board, top with any remaining desired toppings. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into wedges, then let it rest without moving it or prying the pieces apart for another 3 minutes before serving.

This is my fourth post in my commitment to post every. single. day in November for NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month). Follow the craziness all month as I share recipes, family anecdotes, and throw a couple of giveaways in for good measure!

OMG. the memories. i am literally laughing out loud. THAT PLANE RIGHT. and that truffle… give me one now because i am so blue cheese deprived.
you are such an inspiration to me. THANK YOU. love.
xoxoxo

I love your story about Jess and I adore your pizza! I have made it several times and my husband is crazy about it. I just have one tiny thing to mention and that is that you want a HIGH smoke point oil, not a LOW smoke point oil for your pizza. Great job on the blog. Here is a link to Serious eats article on smoke points.

That story is too funny. I can just picture Jess sitting there stoically, with the guy passed out on her shoulder. This turkey pizza looks absolutely amazing and the pickled red onions are the perfect touch.

Oh ma gaaaaaahd, that plane ride sounds HORRIBLE! Poor Jess! But also, kind of funny, right? But still horrible. What’s not horrible is this TOTAL BABE of a pizza. Give me bbq sauce, turkey and cheese any day of the week!

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